"Jarrod!" I yelled, flinging my arms around my brother. "I've missed you."

"Uh, Lilly, let go." Jarrod laughed nervously under me. I held the hug a few seconds longer then released him from. "Lilly, this is Angelique." I smiled warmly at the girl standing half behind him, seeming overwhelmed. She had curly brown hair and a sprinkling of freckles over her cute button nose. She looked nothing like the extreme geek I'd imagined he would get paired with. But, appearances could be deceptive.

"Bonjour," she said

"Bonjour." I replied proudly. "J'ai ... uhm ...." I had reached the extent of my French. I'd never paid attention in that class.

"I speak English," Angelique said, with a small smile.

"Oh, good." I breathed a sigh of relief.

Jarrod led Angelique into the living room, where my dad, Tara, Anne and Eric were waiting. I assumed Laura was there too. Tom and Sarah were coming round later. My mum was in the kitchen, cooking for us all. I went to see her.

"Angelique and Jarrod are here," I told her as I entered the room.

"Is that the time already?" She sounded flustered. "Pass me that bowl, Lilly."

"What one?"

"The one right in front of you!"

I obediently handed it to her. Getting on mum's bad side when she was cooking was never a good idea.

"She speaks English." I commented.

"Jarrod told me," she replied, rather snappily. I bid a hasty retreat. I didn't want to irritate her, she might poison my meal.

I went through to the living room and perched myself on the arm rest of Laura's chair. She wrapped an arm around me to keep me from falling. I whispered 'hey' to her and she smiled but didn't say anything. She'd been really quiet all day and I thought something was up. I was planning to ask her later, when everyone had gone.

I didn't have much time to dwell on her continued silence because I noticed Angelique eyeing us with a tiny furrow between her brows. She said something quietly to Jarrod who nodded. Her face became slightly twisted in disgust and she seemed to be glaring at us.

If she had a problem with Laura and I being in a relationship I swear I would kick her into next week. Homophobes made me see red, how could you judge someone based on who they are attracted to? I just didn't understand it. But what I did understand was that I was going to beat her to a pulp if she said a single word!

Laura's hand gently rubbed circles in my back.

"Calm down." She whispered, "some people need a bit of time to get used to seeing people like us in relationship."

"I know," I fought against shouting at her; this wasn't her fault. "I wish it was just normal."

"You and me both, babe."

I rested my head against hers and stared at nothing. "Um, Lilly?" Laura sounded more timid than I had ever heard before in my life.

"Yeah," I turned my head slightly to see more of her face.

"Uh, do you remember - I mean, were you ... uh, how did you sleep?"

"I slept well. Is something wrong?" I was very confused, why was she so flustered?"

"Not wrong exactly. Last night ... I sort of-" There was a loud knocking at the door and all our heads turned towards it.

"I'll get it," I hopped up off the seat and went to the door. Tom and Sarah stood there, holding a large bottle of wine. "Angelique is here," I made a slight face.

"Is she awful? Tom asked, in a fervent whisper, "does she geek out? Oh, god, do they geek out together?"

"Tom!" Sarah hit him across the chest, "you haven't even met her yet, I'm sure she's lovely."

"Yes, honey." He said, pretending to be obedient but winking at me as he passed.

I closed the door and followed them back into the living room. Tom was fiddling with the sound system my father always refused to use, announcing that we needed to have some fun. Soon music pounded through the house, too loud to hear yourself think. Every time my father turned it down my brother would somehow find a way to turn it back up again without being caught. Dad was going mental! It was really funny to watch.

The music turned down and now dad was standing in front of the buttons, so it would be impossible for Tom to turn it back up.

A slow song had just come so I stole Laura from her chat with Tara and began to sway with her. She didn't meet my eyes much and I wondered what I had done to piss her off.

It wasn't until about ten minutes later, while I was dancing with Tara that I realised. Tara was jumping up and down and headbanging (well, it was what she considered headbanging, really she was just shaking her head) and trying to talk to me, which made it difficult to hear her. I don't know what she was trying to say, all I heard was: "Laura ... it's green ... she said ... but I ... talk to her." The last part jolted something in my brain, and I suddenly remembered that Laura had been trying to tell me something before I ran off to get Tom and Sarah. And it had been important; I mean, she'd been nervous about telling me.

Oh no, what if she wanted to break up with me? Surely she wouldn't. I know I wasn't the best girlfriend in the world but I could be better. Why had I taken her so for granted? She couldn't leave me!

"Tara, go dance with Eric, okay?"

"Are you going to talk to Laura?" My little sister asked, looking up at me with shining eyes.

"Yes, sweetie."

"Okay," she skipped away, looking overjoyed. That made one of us.

I approached Laura slowly, apprehensively.

"Babe, can I talk to you?" She nodded and we went over to a corner. "Do you want to break up with me?" I blurted. "I can try harder, I know I can. I'll be perfect. Just don't-"

"Lilly, Lilly." Laura grabbed my shoulders, "I don't want to break up with you. What on Earth gave you that idea?"

"I don't know, just Tara said and - you really don't want to break up with me?" I was more relieved than I had ever been before.

"Of course I don't. Lilly, I love-"

"Dinner's ready! Come and get it, don't make me wait!" Mum shouted and Laura sighed heavily.

"Come on, lets go and eat." She took my hand and we went to dinner.

"Did you guys talk?" Tara asked, bouncing up to us.

"Not yet, cutie. Don't say a word, okay?" Laura winked at my little sister as though they knew something I didn't and weren't telling me. Which was probably true. Tara giggled and nodded, tapping her nose.

We sat together and somehow Tara squeezed between us so Laura and I could barely talk. She and my little sister were chatting away anyway so I don't think she minded. I talked to Tom, who was sitting across from me.

"You've got her completely wrapped around your finger," he was saying.

"I know," I smirked and he laughed, then shook his head.

"Don't get cocky. Only I suit that."

"Yeah, you wish! What's it like having to get doors specially made to fit your head?"

"It's great! People are always commenting on my large brain. I knew I had superior intelligence." He puffed out his chest and Anne and I rolled our eyes.

"Little did they know he copied all my homework for the entirety of high school," Anne said and my brother shrugged.

"Why bother when someone is willing to do it for you?"

"I have no idea how you passed any of your exams." Anne said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Neither do I," Tom laughed.

"Oh, Lord."

"But, hey, I did and here we are," he hugged his sister with one arm while she attempted to get away.

"Tom Daniels, you're trailing your shirt through the mashed potato!"

"Sorry, mum," he apologised meekly, letting go of Anne and eating his meal quietly. Everyone was afraid of mum when she was stressed. We were all very well behaved for the rest of dinner.

Afterwards we retreated back to the living room while Anne helped mum to clear the table.

I hoped that now Laura could finally say what she had been trying to all day.

"Last night, while you were sleeping, I-"

"Lilly, mum needs you in the kitchen." Anne announced and Laura groaned.

"I'm sorry, babe, but I have to go. She'll eat me alive."

"Now, Lilly." Anne instructed.

"I understand. Go, I'll talk to you later." I was almost out of the room when she said, "wait, you know what? No! I won't wait. I love you! And I've been trying to tell you all goddamn day but you won't hold still for just a moment and listen! Well, now you know. Go back to cleaning your dishes or whatever." She stormed from the room. Everyone was silent. Even Tom couldn't think of any wise-cracks.

"Go get her," Eric said, pushing me gently towards the door. I looked at him for a moment then quickly ran after Laura.

I found her in the hallway, pacing angrily. She saw me and stopped, just staring at me.

"What?" She demanded and I launched myself at her, kissing her hard, not caring that we almost toppled over onto the ground.

"I love you too," I gasped and she laughed in a choked strangled way that sounded like she would burst into tears at any moment. And she kissed me again.